Sunday Sundae
by Tree23
Summary: It's finally Sunday, after a long, trying week. Kate and Rick spend the day at his loft. She's hoping for a lazy day on the couch, but he has other plans. Their relationship is still new but they are getting pretty comfortable together and are having fun figuring it all out. Set in Season 5, sometime after Always. A little fluffy, then a little steamy.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my first fanfic so I'm pretty nervous about posting it. Additionally I completely do not understand this system, so hopefully there aren't any seriously rookie mistakes in the formatting!**

**A/N2: So I edited this chapter a bit. Got some feedback that suggested the timeline was a little tricky to follow. Not sure if this helps, but the edit also let me fix a couple of spelling and punctuation mistakes that were just driving me crazy :)**

**I'd love feedback so feel free to review!**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't own Castle. If I did, likely all the episodes would be fluffy like this! My highest praise goes to the writers, cast and crew at Castle and I hope that I capture the spirit of this fantastically addictive show. I love Mondays :)**

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**_Sunday_**

Kate lay curled up on the couch reading a book. It was Sunday, her day, and she had decided to spend it lazing around in her sweats. Of course, she had forgotten to pack her own the last time she had stopped in to her apartment so she currently rested comfortably in Castle's black fleece track pants and one of his softest over-sized sweatshirts.

She had let herself sleep late today, something she almost never did. Maybe Castle was starting to rub off on her. She was repeatedly amazed by just how late he could sleep in, and he did so every chance he got.

Unfortunately for him, today was not one of those days. Gina had insisted on meeting with him about his latest book and this was the only chance she could do it. He had whined and complained almost endlessly on the phone with her last week but it became clear fairly quickly that she just wasn't having any of it. He had finally relented but looked at Kate when he hung up with a pout that was part apology and part sulking.

_**Last week**_

"Castle, it's okay. It's just one morning." Kate really wasn't too upset and she wasn't really sure why he was getting so worked up about it.

"But Sunday is our day Kate. I wanted to spend it with you."

_Our day._

She softened as he gazed longingly at her. He looked like he had just lost his puppy. He was so adorable.

"Well," she had said as she sidled up to him with a sultry expression looking up at him through almost fluttering eye lashes, placing her hands on his chest. "Maybe when you get back we can…" she paused for effect and watched him swallow hard.

"We can…" he stammered, his eyes glazing over with desire.

"Maybe we can do that thing…you know…that we did that first time…" She let the words linger in the air as she played with the buttons on the front of his shirt, a coy smile forming on her lips.

"You mean…when we…and then we…you mean that?" His eyes grew wider as he gasped out the words with a mix of longing and anticipation.

"Uh huh," she nodded curling up on her toes to place the gentlest of kisses on his lips. She lightly ran her fingers along his neck and down to the front of his chest as he let out a low moan.

She pulled back and looked unblinking at his gorgeous blue eyes, pools of deep desire and longing, waiting for his response.

"Okay." He could barely whisper the words out, his mind going a mile a minute processing what she had just said. Images flashed so fast he could barely keep up, remembering how incredible it had been.

As he reached out to put his hands on her waist she stepped away and slowly turned to walk back to the kitchen with a bit of a swing in her hips, knowing he was watching. He reached out to the empty air where she had just been, trying to stammer out some words of protest to get her to come back, when she turned and looked back at him with that stunning smile. "Patience," she said, and walked away.

_**Sunday**_

Now, as she waited patiently for his return from his meeting, she giggled a bit at the memory of his face, just stunned into silence, but at the same time trying to figure out how to get her to give him a preview. She had been about to give in, not truly wanting to wait either – her memories of that first night were still as vivid in her head as they were in his – but her phone had rung and dispatch assigned them their next case.

That case had been a pretty gruesome one. A jealous wife had murdered both her husband and his mistress upon walking in on them in their own kitchen. She had grabbed the closest thing she could, a 10 inch long butcher's knife, and had stabbed each of them several times with such force and anger that she had left them a bloody mess. She had then calmly washed the knife and put it back in the block, removing the visible blood and her finger prints, before pulling on a sweater and walking down the street to a neighbor's for coffee. After several misdirects from the various interviews they conducted of family, friends, neighbors and co-workers, they had finally narrowed in on the wife and Beckett had craftily interrogated the woman into a confession.

It had felt good to get justice for the two victims, regardless of how she felt about their affair. It definitely wasn't anything she could ever consider doing. But, the whole case had taken a real toll on her, so she was relieved to have a quiet and peaceful morning to recoup her energy,

Regardless of all that, she was a little disappointed when she woke up earlier today to find Castle's side of the bed vacant. She felt around his side, cold and empty to her touch, when her hand rested on a piece of paper. She opened one eye to look at what she had found, discovering that the paper was curled around the stem of a single red rose.

Her stomach fluttered slightly as she felt all those feelings for Castle come flooding in. At first she had been scared of these feelings and unsure of how to really show them to him, while still maintaining some control. But she trusted him so much – with her life – that it soon became easy. In fact, she found it was becoming a source of strength for her that she could lean on when things in her head got too complicated. She trusted in his love for her and was learning to let him guide her in these first stages of their relationship. Though she still had not yet said those three important words, she knew that she could trust him also to be patient with her. And she knew that she felt that for him, she just hadn't found the right time or the right way to tell him. If such a thing really existed.

She pulled the pillows up on the headboard and leaned back against them to read his note. As she unrolled it she breathed in the fragrant scent of the rose letting it tickle her nose with a light touch.

After one last deep breath in she put the rose aside and opened the note. It read:

_My dearest Kate –_

_I am awed by the joy I feel at waking up with you in my arms. I hate to leave, to have you wake up without me by your side. But every moment I am away from you I am thinking of you with all the love that I possess._

_Always, Rick_

She felt tears welling up in her eyes as she read the beautiful heartfelt words that he wrote for her. She sometimes felt almost foolish for getting so emotional around him and because of him. It wasn't in her nature to be anything but strong and in control. But when she was finally able to let down her walls and open up her life to him, some of her strength and control kind of melted. Not in a bad way that made her feel out of control, it was just different now. She didn't _have_ to keep her guard up all the time now and she liked getting to really lean on him at times. They were becoming true partners, in every aspect of their lives, and it gave her a different kind of strength. So, sometimes she felt a bit silly, though those times were getting farther and farther apart, but most of the time, she just felt happy.

As she brushed away the tear that had lightly fallen down her cheek she realized that there was more on the note.

_P.S. – You better make yourself a good breakfast because when I get home I'm going to hold you to our deal, and you're going to need your strength._

She laughed out loud at his final words. So typical. So Castle. But she took his words to heart and decided it was time to get up.

She looked at the clock. 9:30. Castle's meeting was just getting started. She had lots of time to make some breakfast and get dressed. He probably wouldn't be home for several hours so she'd have to find something to occupy her mind until he arrived.

As she got up and realized just how tired she still was, she made the decision to make it a lazy day. She pulled the fleece pants out of Castle's dresser and pulled them up over her red boy-cut panties. She had to cinch up the drawstring to keep the pants from falling down, but she loved how his clothes felt against her skin. She grabbed his grey sweatshirt from the shelf in the closet and pulled it down over her matching red bra. She knew he loved red on her so why not give him a taste of what was to come right from the start? As she pulled the sweater down over her head, she breathed deeply to take in as much of his scent as she could. He smelled like sandalwood and vanilla, with a bit of spice, heady but sweet. He smelled like home.

She padded across the living room into the kitchen to make some coffee. She was moving quietly but she wasn't worried about waking anyone. Martha was in the Hampton's for the week and Alexis was at school. She had a big paper due and a mid-term at the end of the week so Kate knew she would be holed up in the Columbia library all week. She moved quietly because she was enjoying the silence of this usually bustling household.


	2. Chapter 2

Several hours later, Kate snuggled on the couch with her book, her feet stretched out on the couch, her back rested comfortably on the cushioned arm rest, as she devoured the words on the page. _His words. _Her hair was lightly pulled back in a messy bun with wavy tendrils framing her face. She was finally relaxed, her mind at peace.

Just then the front door of the apartment flew open and a disheveled looking Castle stood in the doorway. Kate jumped from the sudden noise after such a divine solitude, nearly dropping her book on the floor.

"Castle!" She started to scold him but stopped short when she saw the slight slump forward of his shoulders and the frustrated look on his face. "Castle," she said more softly, "what's wrong?"

"Those women," he said through gritting teeth, "are so…aggravating!" He clenched his fists and punched the air out in front of him obviously frustrated. He stepped into the room and took off his jacket.

"Castle, I thought you were meeting with Gina. Who do you mean 'those women'?" Kate hoped she didn't sound too upset – too jealous. She didn't mean it to sound that way anyways, but she was a bit confused. But Castle seemed not to notice as he walked into the living room towards where she was seated on the couch.

"So did I. But apparently Paula decided that she _needed_ to see me too, and showed up just after I did."

_Oh, Paula, his agent._ Beckett quietly released the breath she didn't realize she had been holding in. Then she quickly focused back on him when she realized that he hadn't finished talking.

"…thought they could tag team me. They went on and on _and on_, mostly just talking to each other about me like I wasn't even sitting there. I could hardly get a word in, though I don't think they even noticed. They just kept going. _'He is so impossible to get a hold of.' 'I know, he never takes my call, and then he never calls me back.'_" Castle was acting out the conversation between Paula and Gina, using high pitched annoying voices and turning his head from side to side mimicking their actions.

Kate couldn't stop her laugh from coming out as she watched the scene before her. Castle plopped down on the couch next to her, now annoyed with her too. "Don't laugh Kate, it's not funny. It was _excruciating_. I'm exhausted."

Kate just shrugged. "Oh come on Castle, you're being a little bit dramatic aren't you? It can't have been that bad." She looked up at him as his face watched hers with disbelief.

"Not that bad?" He sat up and turned his whole body to face hers. "Are you…not that bad? Dramatic? Imagine getting interrogated by Gates on this side, and on this side…well, another Gates! Two Iron Gates, both out to let you know just how much they disliked you. That's how bad it was."

Kate paused as she flashed on the image of two Gates' both annoyed and unsmiling. _Wow, _she thought. _If that could really happen, that wife I interrogated would have confessed in half the time it took me to get it out of her._ She shuddered a bit from the thought.

"Okay, well maybe it was bad Castle, but it's over now. You're home." She smiled and placed her hand on his knee hoping he would start to lift out of his funk.

He looked at her hand, her long fingers squeezing gently, and placing his hand on hers, he softened just a bit. "You're right. They just get me so worked up sometimes. I'm better now." He smiled up at her, though she could see that it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"You need something to cheer you up." Kate looked at him with a twinkle in her eye. But before she could say another sultry word, he jumped up off the couch and looked down at her with such excitement, eyes wide like a kid in a candy store.

"Yes! Ice cream!"

Before she could stop him he was bounding towards the kitchen with a new-found energy. It wasn't what she was thinking; she couldn't believe he had forgotten their deal. _He must be really shaken from that meeting._

She watched him over the back of the couch as he puttered around getting out all of the things he needed. As he pulled out the can of whipped cream and the jar of maraschino cherries from the fridge, she realized that this was going to be no ordinary bowl of ice cream, he was going for the full on sundae.

As he scooped the ice cream, Rocky Road, and poured the sauce, both chocolate and caramel, a look of disbelief took over her face.

"You know," he said finally looking up at her from across the room, his voice taking on a much lighter tone, as it always did when he was about to explain something to her that he thought she didn't know, "the key to a really good sundae when you're feeling really down is to not hold back, to really just go for it and add as much of everything as the bowl will hold."

She noticed now that the bowl he was pouring colored sprinkles into was actually bigger than your typical ice cream dish. He would be sick if he ate all that, she was sure.

"Um, Castle?" She looked at him questioningly as he shook the can of whipped cream and sprayed it all over the top of his mammoth sundae.

He looked up at her with a devilish smile and said with all the charm he could muster, "Don't worry Beckett, I haven't forgotten about our deal. You'll just have to wait until after ice cream." Then he gave her a knowing wink and wiggled his eyebrows as he brought the can to his lips and shot a sweet spray into his mouth.

She gasped a little and felt the heat rush to her cheeks as her jaw dropped slightly. She actually hadn't been thinking of that. She was more concerned about how he'd be feeling if he tried to eat all that ice cream. She tried to explain herself.

"No, I…" she stammered out as he finished putting all the toppings back in the fridge and the ice cream in the freezer.

"It's okay Kate, I know, you want me," he said with that adorable impish grin that he gets when he knows he's caught her off guard.

She gave up knowing he'd never believe her anyways. And frankly she had been surprised that he hadn't walked in the door, picked her up off the couch and carried her into the bedroom immediately after getting home.

He plopped down beside her again, now with a totally opposite demeanor from the last time he sat there. "Kate?" He asked looking innocently at her.

" Hmm?" She replied, her eyes back on her book.

"Kate." He nudged impatiently at her foot, which he was almost sitting on.

She looked up at him with a light smile. "Yes, Castle?"

"Know what the other key to a really good sundae is?" He beamed a smile at her like he could hardly keep this amazing secret in anymore.

"What?" She asked earnestly.

"Someone to share it with." His smile widened as he produced two spoons.

She laughed out loud and felt the same joy that she could see on his face. She excitedly put her book on the coffee table with one hand and grabbed a spoon with the other. He curled one leg up under him as he turned his body so they could look at each other over the bowl as they ate, Lady and the Tramp style.

She put the first spoonful to her mouth and then laughed. With her mouth still full she said, "Castle, that was all just whipped cream. Is there any ice cream even in there?"

He looked down at the bowl with slight dismay as he realized he may have gone a little overboard with the toppings. "Here, let me…" his voice trailed off as he dug his spoon around the bowl trying to get a little bit of everything.

Finally when he was satisfied with his efforts, he pulled the spoon up out of the bowl and brought it to her lips. Her eyes opened wide with an anticipation and eagerness that surprised her. It was after all, just ice cream.

_No,_ she reminded herself, _it was ice cream with him._

She smiled, as she opened her mouth wide, and had just started to move into it when he pulled the spoon back quickly. "Wait!" He exclaimed. She looked up in surprise, slightly shocked at his abruptness.

He put the bowl down on his lap and reached in with his now free hand to pluck out a bright red cherry. He carefully placed it on top of the already large spoonful.

"There," he said putting the spoon back to her mouth, looking at it with pride. "The perfect bite."

Kate opened her mouth again and this time he didn't pull away. He slid the spoon gently into her mouth and her lips closed around it enjoying the first taste of icy sweetness. She pulled back slowly with eyes closed, letting the spoon slide out. Then she looked up at Castle coyly from beneath her lashes. He breathed out audibly, the desire in him growing.

_Who knew eating ice cream could be so sexy?_ He thought.

He kept watching as Kate closed her eyes again and chewed slowly, letting the flavors swirl around her tongue. She could almost feel all the love that he had for her in this one perfect bite and she was enjoying every moment.

Castle sat transfixed watching her jaw slowly work on the cherry and he felt his breath coming faster with each moment. She moaned out slightly as she delighted in the sweetness, and knowing it would turn him on. She finally opened her eyes, heavy with desire, as she swallowed the last bit. She licked her lips softly and slowly reached her hand to his. She pulled his fingers, still sticky with whipped cream and sauce from fishing the cherry out of the bowl, towards her mouth. One at a time she put his fingers in her mouth and sucked the remaining sweetness off with her tongue. She finished with his index finger, never breaking eye contact, lightly dragging her teeth, and finishing with a kiss.

Castle swallowed hard before speaking, his voice deep and gravelly, "Best. Sundae. Ever."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: The conclusion to my (first) short little story. I couldn't find a place to cut into another chapter easily so this one's a bit longer. And hopefully a bit steamier - figured I better change the rating too! Thanks so much to all of you who are following along. It would be great to get some feedback. Especially about the time-shifting from Chapter 1. Not sure whether it's really clear the order of events as it kind of jumped around a bit. Also, in regards to characters, do they ring true? I think I've got Castle figured out...frankly I think he's pretty obvious, easier to know. But Kate's a little harder to write. I find she's kept so much guarded about herself that I'm not really sure how she would react in certain situations. I gave it my best but thoughts are most definitely welcome.**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't own Castle. If I did, likely all the episodes would be fluffy (and steamy) like this! My highest praise goes to the writers, cast and crew at Castle who bring this 'verse to life every Monday. I continue to be addicted.**

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Castle set the now empty bowl on the coffee table and turned back to her. He watched as she slowly finished chewing on her last bite of the sundae and licking her lips, enjoying the last taste of chocolate.

"Mmm, that was really good," she said with a smile.

"See? I told you," he replied grinning back at her. She was amazed at how much he had visibly relaxed as he ate. More ice cream apparently equals less tension. He was so adorable.

"So, now, tell me Kate," she sensed a change of topic coming. _Good,_ she thought, _he's not dwelling on the events of the morning._ "What have you been doing all morning without me? Did you miss me?" His eyes twinkled. Secretly he hoped she really did miss him. Not that he would ever want her to feel lonely, but it would be kind of nice to know she was thinking about him.

"Miss you? Well, I've been kind of busy." She winked at him, teasing.

"Busy? Really? What have you been doing with yourself?" He glanced over to the coffee table where his eyes landed on the open book she'd put aside when the ice cream arrived. He could see the pages of writing but he couldn't make out what the book was.

All of a sudden Kate felt a bit self-conscious about her chosen novel. She reached down and scooped it up off the table and pulled it behind her back.

"Oh, it's nothing," she said as a wave of color rose up past her neck, reddening her cheeks.

_She's hiding her book from me. Why is she hiding her book from me? She knows I love it that she reads._

"Beckett? What are you reading?" He asked again. "Why don't you want me to see it?"

He suddenly lunged forward on the couch towards her, her slight embarrassment making him want to know all the more. She leaned back as he leaned forward, trying to block his move. But he countered by bringing his hands up to her rib cage and applying just the right pressure to just the right places.

"Ahh! Castle stop it!" She cried out trying not to laugh and failing miserably. He continued though, not letting her stave him off. Now he _needed_ to know what she was reading.

"Kate, what are you reading?" He said with a lilt in his voice and continued moving towards her.

She squirmed and laughed and tried hard to fend him off and keep the book from him. She knew if he managed to get it away from her he'd be insufferable. But he was persistent, and strong, and he was gaining advantage over her.

Suddenly he stopped. He reached up with both hands to grab her face, his legs now straddling her thighs. He moved in fiercely, kissing her with such passion and lust. There was an eagerness that surprised her. She took a moment to catch up to him, the heat in her cheeks changing from embarrassment to desire. She began to return his kiss, her lips parting to allow his tongue to dart in and out of her mouth. She moaned low and quiet as she reached forward to press harder into him, the book all but forgotten. His hand slid from her face and slowly traced a line down her shoulder to the side of her breast, his touch so delicate and light. She shuddered as he continued to slide his hand down the side of her rib cage, past the point of his previous tickling, down to her waist.

Just as quickly as he started kissing her, he suddenly pulled back, leaving her breathless and lurching forward into the empty air where his lips had just been.

Her eyes shot open in surprise and looked at him questioningly. There was something out of place about the look on his face. Was it smugness? No. Pride? Not quite. It was almost…_boastful_. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the flash of red and black that she had been trying so hard to conceal from him.

_The book!_ _Oh my god! He took the book!_

She couldn't believe that he had just used that passion as a rouse, a distraction, so she wouldn't see him grabbing the book. She opened her mouth and gasped in disbelief at his audacity, a bit disappointed in herself that she had fallen for his ploy.

He looked down at the book in his hands and suddenly his face dropped. Not to sadness, but to a humbleness she had not seen in him before.

"Kate, this is…" He licked his lips and swallowed hard at the lump forming in the back of his throat. "This is Kissed and Killed. This is my book. You've spent your morning reading my book?" He finally looked up at her with wonder.

"Yeah, well, I like Alexandra Jones. She's a tough chick." Kate replied referring to the main character. She was trying to cover her true motive, but eventually she realized that she couldn't hold back from him. "And, maybe I missed you." She smiled somewhat shyly.

All of a sudden his face changed again and there it was, that boastful pride coming back. "I knew it! I knew you missed me!" He exclaimed with delight. She was glad he wasn't getting too caught up in the deeper meaning of her reading choice, but she also wasn't thrilled with the teasing she was about to get. She needed to turn the tables on him, to get the power back. He had used her feelings for him to his advantage and that could not go unpunished. She made a quick plan in her head.

Kate shifted slightly under him, her legs still pinned under his weight. With a playful smirk on his face, he rose slightly so she could pull her legs out from under him, just to free her from what he realized could be an uncomfortable position.

"So, you spent your morning pining for me did you?" He laughed lightly.

Just as he lowered down to resume his seat on the couch Kate sprung forward placing both hands on his chest, and using his off-balance stance to her advantage, she pushed him back until he was lying on his back on the couch. She quickly sprang on top of him, straddling his waist now. She pinned his hands above his head and pressed down with all her weight, the book clattering to the floor.

"Hey!" He exclaimed in surprise. "Be careful with my book! You're going to want to finish that later." His eyes twinkled teasingly.

She immediately rolled her eyes at him and pressed harder down on his hands.

"Ow," he laughed out. She was incredibly strong and when he tried to move his hands he was surprised to find he actually couldn't lift them.

"What's the matter Castle? Can't you get up?" She asked as a smile formed on her lovely face.

_God she was beautiful._

"I, um," he struggled again, to no avail. "Well, you see, it's the angle, and well, I could try harder, but, well, I really wouldn't want to hurt you. I mean you're going to need those hands later to hold my book." Huge smile.

_Oh, he was taking this too far. This had to stop. She needed something to get the power back. Man, she was really competitive._

She tried changing tactics. "You're right Castle," she said sweetly.

"I am?" he said hesitantly. _What was she up to? Why was she being so sweet?_

"You are," she replied. "You're such a big, strong man. You could get out of this hold. I know you're just teasing." _There it was, just a little condescending._ She leaned down and placed a light kiss on his forehead, then his nose, his left cheek, then down to his ear where she lingered, nibbling gently at his lobe.

"Yeah," he gasped lightly as a jolt of electricity ran from head to toe. "Ju-just teasing…I'm strong…I could take you, but…" He moaned as she continued sucking on his neck, at the ridge of his jaw.

"You know, your books are good Castle, but I think maybe you need to work a bit harder, to make them more believable. I could help you with this next one. You know, so Gina and Paula would get off your back." She moved back to his ear and used her tongue to elicit more pleasured moans from him. She could feel the vibrations as they rumbled through his chest. Kate was getting her power back.

"Yeah?" He asked distractedly. He couldn't think of anything but what she was doing with her tongue.

"Yeah, I could help give you some ideas for the next time Nikki and Rook get together. We could, you know, try some things out, so you can get all the details right." She was whispering in his ear now, sending chills up and down his spine.

"Details?" He whispered back and swallowed hard. "What, um, what kind of details?" He was having a really hard time staying focused on anything as the waves of emotion threatened to overpower him. _If he could just get his hands free…_

She lifted her face above his and looked down at him, putty in her hands. She had the power back now and she liked it. She gently leaned down closer to his face. She grazed his lips with hers, not quite kissing him but letting him feel her touch, feel her breath around his face.

"Should I get a pen?" He asked breathlessly, leaning up to try to capture her lips, but she pulled back again.

She shook her head slightly. "I don't think you'll have trouble remembering this later Castle," she replied and his whole body shuddered.

He gasped at her response, a thousand thoughts racing through his head as he imagined so many wonderful things.

_God he loved this woman._

She leaned down slowly but again as he lifted his head to meet hers she pulled back. He looked imploringly at her.

"Uh-uh," she said. "My way." She pushed down harder on his hands forcing his head back down to the cushion and reminding him that she had the power.

"Tease," he said with a hint of frustration and a hint of a smile. _I am definitely going to enjoy this,_ he thought, _if she would just get on with it._

She moved her hands so that she could press down on both of his with just one of hers, her left hand, now free to roam across his body. He realized that he could likely get free now if he wanted, but he was more interested to see where she would take this. She curled her fingers around to graze the side of his face with the back of her hand, ran the tip of her fingers across his lips.

_Finally something to kiss,_ he thought.

He slowly opened his mouth and reached forward to encircle her finger with his lips. He sucked gently letting her know that he was really enjoying this play. He let his teeth drag along her finger as she slowly pulled it out.

She leaned down finally, letting her finger fall away and gently kissed his lips. She sucked on his bottom lip and then slowly slid her tongue inside. Castle shuddered again from the electricity he felt coursing through his veins, as their tongues danced around in his mouth.

She started to pull away again. _No,_ he thought, _please stay._ "Beckett," he whispered pleading, hoping she'd take the hint and let him keep kissing her – forever.

"Patience." She looked at him teasing but loving. She used her free hand to push up his thin light blue shirt, the one that made the blue of his eyes so intense, like pools of icy water. She used the tips of her nails to drag lightly across his chest, sending chills down his spine yet again and raising little goose bumps across his entire body. He unconsciously arched his body into hers, aching with desire.

She leaned down and used her tongue on the now goosy flesh at the base of his neck. She continued lower over his shirt, bunched up now above his chest. She continued down to his slightly hardened nipple and drew a slow wet swirl around it, perking it up even more.

"Kaaate," he moaned with such pleasure that it became hard for her to continue taking her time. But this was her lazy Sunday – _their lazy Sunday _– and she wanted to make sure it was one they would never forget.

She reached down to his waist and unbuckled his belt, her arm grazing his firmness below. If his moans hadn't convinced her of his desire, she was now sure just how into her games he really was.

Kate looked up at Rick, batting her eyelashes, faint flicker of a smile, as she slowly unbuttoned his jet black dress pants. Without breaking eye contact, she finally released her hold on his hands, knowing he was unlikely to attempt escape. Her newly freed hand now traced down the side of his body as she kissed his chest, his stomach. She grasped the waistband of his pants and his boxers and pulled them down around his ankles. He quickly kicked them unceremoniously to the floor, still never breaking eye contact. Watching her watch him as she continued lower, kissing down one thigh to his knee and back up the other.

Kate paused, and then breathed deeply, slowly, knowing what he wanted her to do next, but not quite ready to give in to him so soon.

"Castle," she whispered watching his breathing, quick and short, almost desperate.

"Oh Kate," he replied, that desperation very clear in his voice.

_What is she waiting for? I can't take this! She's killing me, such a tease._

She opened her mouth slightly and he closed his eyes, knowing what was coming next. He waited a moment but when nothing happened he looked down to see her slowly moving back up towards his face, her eyes shining.

_Is she laughing at me? Is she really enjoying torturing me so much?_

An idea clicked in his mind.

He slowly brought his hands down finally to her shoulders, not wanting to betray his plan. Just as he felt the softness of her sweater, he griped tighter and in one quick motion he flipped them both over so she was now lying on her back. She raised her arms in defense of his attack but he used her movement against her. He put his hands under her oversized sweatshirt and slid it up over her head, taking her hands with it.

_Mmm, red, nice,_ he thought as his eyes quickly took in her mostly naked chest. _Turn around was fair play, wasn't it?_

"Castle?" She looked up at him. His greater strength allowed him to actually hold both her hands with just one of his.

"Uh-uh," he said almost mockingly. "My way." She raised her eyebrows at his reply as he slowly leaned down to kiss her forehead, her temple, her cheek. He pulled back enough so that he could gaze into her eyes, a mix of brown and green, lit by the lights above and her passion. He had truly never met a more passionate woman, both in the bedroom and out. He felt so lucky to really have her in his life now.

"Castle, what is it?" Her question brought him back to focus in the moment.

"Shhh," he whispered back, his eyes smiling down at her. "Patience."

She smiled then, sexily biting her bottom lip. _God he loved that bottom lip._ He leaned in to kiss her but stopped short just as she had done. He rubbed his nose across hers, brushed his lips, his tongue, over her lips. He kissed her cheek, her jaw, her neck, speeding up his efforts as he went. He tried so hard to slow down but then he found her ear lobe and took it in his mouth. He bit softly into the flesh eliciting a moan from Kate. "Oh, Castle."

His free hand slid down her side cupping her breast, gently rubbing her hardening nipple through her bra. Her back arched pushing her body into his as her heart rate steadily climbed to match his.

Rick lowered his head and opened the clasp at the front of her bra to expose her almost heaving chest. He pushed her breast up to his mouth and used his tongue to push her intense desire to new heights. The gasp that escaped her lips told him she was enjoying this just as much as he had been mere moments ago when their roles were reversed.

"Kate?" He looked up to find her eyes closed. "Kate?" He asked again. She looked down at him finally as he kissed her breast to get her attention. "Kate, why are you wearing my clothes?"

Her mind swirled as she processed his question, her heart pounding from his touch, her breath coming in short quick gasps.

As she tried to figure out how to respond, the corners of his mouth curled up to that adorable impish grin. "Can't stay out of my pants can you? I know, you don't have to say it. I'm irresistible."

But before she could come up with a quip in reply, he let go of her breast and with one last kiss, he moved his hand down to her pants – _his pants_ – and untied the drawstring. Just as he was starting to pull at the waistband a thought struck him.

"Is it weird that right now I want to get into my own pants?" He asked.

"Castle." Beckett rolled her eyes at him.

"No, right. Not the right time," he said and resumed his work.

He pulled at the waistband and easily slid the pants down. As she worked to kick them off, he lightly ran his hands up her leg applying more pressure as he got to her thighs. He squeezed her butt as he kissed down the front of her stomach and his eyes caught on her panties.

"Mmm, matching. Red," he said this time out loud. He clearly approved of her choice, as she had known he would. She smiled and grasped at her bottom lip again with her teeth. He looked up to catch her eyes and continued kissing her body. He slowed when he reached her breasts again, kissing them both, still rubbing his hand up and down her thigh.

"Ohhh," she moaned again, her body alive, tingling from his touch.

He raised his eyes to meet hers. "Say my name," he stated as much as asked.

"Castle," she whispered back.

He applied more pressure to her thigh, squeezing, kneading. More aggressively he pressed his lips to her neck, moving up again to her ear lobe.

"No. Say my _name_." More insistent this time.

She smiled a taste of power on her lips. "Castle," she said again, sexy, lingering.

He moved his hand to the inside of her thigh. "You know what I mean Kate. Say it. _Say it._"

He moved his hand higher, felt the moisture building, the heat rising. She lifted her bending knee to give him better access, encouraging his touch.

"Castle," she gasped. She was losing her power, losing control. She wanted him inside of her. To fill her with his passion and have the heat radiate between them. "Castle," she said again, her voice getting louder, her heart pounding, body arching towards his. She tried to move her hands to hold his body, pull him onto her, into her. But he still had her pinned.

Sensing his gain in the power struggle between them he slid down her panties and moved his lips to her ear. "_Say it_," he growled deep, gravelly. This was easily the sexiest he had ever been with her in their time together and she knew that she couldn't hold out on him anymore. She wanted him, she needed him. She was willing to give him the power.

She looked up into his eyes, held his gaze, bit down on her bottom lip. As a smile began to blossom on her flushed face, her eyes radiating with desire, she finally whispered the one word he wanted to hear.

"Rick."

All of the passion they had built to that moment was finally released as he dove for her lips and kissed her with a ferocity that made her ache with desire. He released her hands and slid his body on top of hers, his hand moving up to grasp her heaving breast.

They continued kissing hard and fast, their tongues dancing together. Their hands grasping at any, every body part, not wanting to miss anything.

He moved his lips back to her neck, kissing, licking, sucking. "Oh Kate," he whispered again fervently. Unable to hold back any longer, he finally entered her.

"Oh Rick," she called out with a passion and joy he had not previously heard from her and it pushed him, he drove harder.

Their bodies quickly found their rhythm and both opened their senses to the full experience. The taste of his sweat, the touch of her hands on his body, the feel of his breath on her skin, the sound of her calling his name.

They tuned out everything in the world but each other. They allowed the stresses of life to fall away and moved together wrapped in the love they felt for one another.

In one final burst of emotion, he fell exhausted across her body. They breathed hard, together, slowly regaining their bearings. Panting from the exertion, Rick finally lifted up on one elbow to look down at the beautiful woman who lay below him. He smiled and kissed her face.

He rose up again and watched as a single tear rolled away from her eyes full of emotion.

"Kate?" He questioned not sure what she was thinking.

She reached up to place both hands on his face, her fingers curling behind his head. She smiled lightly and pulled him down, kissing him full and soft and sweet.

"Rick, I love you so much." She kissed him again, smiling into his lips. "I love you. I love you. I love you."

He pulled back and looked into her eyes, searching. He wanted to know that her words came from her heart and not just from the lust and passion they had both just experienced.

Her smile grew, her whole face brightened and her eyes shone. She spoke again, clear, steadfast and true. "Rick, I love you, with all of the love that I possess. Always." She repeated the words he had beautifully written on the note that he left her on the pillow that morning.

He saw it then, he knew she meant it, knew she truly felt it. Every time he thought he couldn't possibly love her more, she found a way to surprise him and it intensified in him all the things he felt for her.

His eyes welled up and he moved in to kiss her again, a long, slow, sensual touch. It was the opposite of the fierce lovemaking they had just enjoyed. It conveyed all of the love and care and desire he felt for her. It overwhelmed them both.

They lay for a few moments, bodies entwined in a perfect unity, foreheads connected, just breathing each other in and soaking up the peace they now both felt.

Slowly, they rolled together so that Rick lay on his back and Kate rested on her side between him and the back of the couch. Her head rested on his chest, their legs still intertwined. She could hear the accelerated beating of his heart as it slowed slightly with each passing minute.

As he held her close and she ran her finger lightly in an irregular pattern on his chest, he sighed with contentment.

"Hey Kate?" He closed his eyes and breathed deeply again.

"Yes?"

"Best. Sunday. Ever." She could hear the smile in his voice and couldn't contain her own.

"Yeah," she agreed.

"Oh, and Kate?" He continued grinning now looking down at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Mmm-hmm?"

"Don't think you're off the hook just yet. You still owe me…well, you know what you promised." Her head snapped up off his chest and she looked at him in surprise, mouth agape.

"Seriously?" _Incredible. He is incorrigible._

"A deal's a deal Kate. You promised," he replied, his eyes twinkling with delight, his eyebrows playfully dancing above them.

_God he was adorable, this man whom she loved with all of her heart._

She put her head back down on his chest and he stilled waiting for her response. "Fine," she said with a mock seriousness. "But at least let me catch my breath."

"Deal," he said with far too much excitement.

After a few minutes of snuggling on the couch, with Castle rubbing his hand up and down her bare arm and Kate curled into him, he sighed again, deep and content. She smiled knowing how happy they both were in each other's arms, how perfectly they fit.

_Best. Sunday. Ever._


End file.
